The invention relates generally to automatic photoflash calculator systems and more particularly to a unique calculator apparatus for providing visual display of photographic information to the operator of the system.
Automatic photoflash systems are generally well known in the art. Basically, a light producing means is selectively actuated to furnish light for the illumination of a scene to be photographed. A light sensing means senses light received back from the scene and, upon receipt of a predetermined quantity of light, generates a quench signal which is effective to terminate the light being produced.
In automatic-calculator type systems, there are a plurality of variable which must be coordinated for an optimum picture. For example, the power level of the light producing means, partially determines the quantity of light available to illuminate a scene being photographed. The film speed used in the camera of the photographic system determines the sensitivity of the film to light received from the scene. The camera-to-scene distance, affects the amount of time required between the generation of a flash and the actual termination thereof, in order to properly expose the light sensitive film of the camera. The f-stop setting of the lens system of the associated camera is related to the proportion of light impressed on the face of the camera which is received at the film plane.
While calculators per se provide a measure of correlation of the several variables, they have not been sufficiently integrated within an associated photographic system, to afford maximum automation of operation.